Sherwin Carlquist, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Wood Anatomy of Buddlejaceae

DOI

10.5642/aliso.19961501.05

First Page

Last Page

Abstract

Quantitative and qualitative data are presented for 23 species of Buddleja and one species each of Emorya, Nuxia, and Peltanthera. Although crystal distribution is likely a systematic feature of some species of Buddleja, other wood features relate closely to ecology. Features correlated with xeromorphy in Buddleja include strongly marked growth rings (terminating with vascular tracheids), narrower mean vessel diameter, shorter vessel elements, greater vessel density, and helical thickenings in vessels. Old World species of Buddleja cannot be differentiated from New World species on the basis of wood features. Emorya wood is like that of xeromorphic species of Buddleja. Lateral wall vessel pits of Nuxia are small (2.5 ILm) compared to those of Buddleja (mostly 5-7 ILm) . Peltanthera wood features can also be found in Buddleja or Nuxia; Dickison's transfer of Sanango from Buddlejaceae to Gesneriaceae is justified. All wood features of Buddlejaceae can be found in families of subclass Asteridae such as Acanthaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Myoporaceae, Scrophulariaceae, and Verbenaceae. Wood anatomy of Buddlejaceae relates to species ecology and size of wood sample, and is not useful in demonstrating that Buddlejaceae are closer to any particular one of these families; such evidence must be sought in molecular data and elsewhere.

Recommended Citation

Carlquist, Sherwin (1996) "Wood Anatomy of Buddlejaceae," Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany: Vol. 15: Iss. 1, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/aliso/vol15/iss1/5